Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Tuesday, July 5, 2011
(UNDATED) - Mosquito season is in full swing. That means the Indiana Health Department is keeping a close eye on West Nile Virus.
Dr. Jennifer House says Entomologists have been collecting mosquitoes and testing them for West Nile and St. Louis Encephalitis since the beginning of May.
House says they've gotten reports of positive mosquito samples up in Illinois.
As a result, they're expecting positive samples shortly in Indiana.
House says encephalitis is also a mosquito-transmitted virus that presents symptoms similar to West Nile.
She says they start seeing the viruses emerge during the beginning of July.
West Nile can cause fever, neurological illness and even death.
West Nile first hit Indiana back in 2002.
The first positive transmission occurred in July of last year.
West Nile is carried in bird populations and can be transmitted by mosquitoes to other birds, horses and humans.
Eliminating mosquito breeding habitats is considered the best preventative action against West Nile and Encephalitis.
That includes getting rid of standing water in bird baths and empty containers.
Experts say even a small amount of standing water is enough for mosquitoes to breed.
Last year, there were 13 human West Nile cases that included one death.
Advanced symptoms include: fever, aches, stiff neck and paralysis.
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